Leafpool's Return
by Redheart of thunderclan
Summary: Redheart, warrior of TunderClan, beleives that Leafpool should return to her post as ThunderClan's Medicinecat. Will Firestar allow Leafpool to return to the job she loves or will she be stuck a warrior forever. stay tune for more chapters! Review


Redheart padded through the forest, his reddish orange fur glowing in the shafts of sunlight that was

flowing through the trees.

"_They're breaking through. The dark forest is rising and when the battle comes, it will be for real." _Jayfeather's words echoed through his mind.

"What does he mean about the dark forest? What could it be? Is it that forest that I dreamed of yesterday?" Redheart asked himself.

"What are you mumbling about Redheart? "

Redheart jumped in surprise and shock at the sound of the ThunderClan deputy's voice.

"Brambleclaw!" Redheart mewed as he whirled around to face him. " You nearly frightened me out of

my fur!"

Brambleclaw's whiskers twitched with amusement. "I was just curious why one of my warriors was

going out of camp when we needed all of them for patrols."

Redheart looked at his paws, ashamed. "Sorry Brambleclaw. I just wanted to have some time to

myself."

"I can tell that something is troubling you. Do you want to talk about it? " Brambleclaw went on as

Redheart shook his head. "I know what it's like to have something trouble you and not wanting

talk about it."

"Do you mean like with Squirrelflight lying to you about Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf?"

Redheart asked boldly.

Brambleclaw let out a low growl but when he spoke his voice was steady and calm. " I don't really like

to talk about that Redheart and yet there isn't anything to talk about it any way."

"Thats not true!" Redheart protested. "You know that Squirrelflight was only trying to protect her sister, and even as it is we need Leafpool as our medicine cat too!"

"Squirrelflight knew that she could have trusted me with that secret, and besides Leafpool broke the

warrior code by having kits." Brambleclaw replied.

"But you see that she doesn't bring any fresh kill back into camp! She needs to get warrior training if

she is not allowed to be medicine cat any longer." Redheart challenged.

"Come with me." Brambleclaw said in a low growl.

Redheart followed Brambleclaw back to the hollow. Brambleclaw headed up the rock fall toward Firestar's den. Redheart started to feel uneasy as if he had done something wrong.

Brambleclaw called the greeting at the front of Firestar's den.

"Come in." Firestar's voice sounded from inside.

Brambleclaw and Redheart entered the den. "Greetings Firestar," Brambleclaw mewed with a dip of

his head. Redheart dipped his head respectfully to his leader as well.

"Brambleclaw, Redheart. What can I do for you?" Firestar asked sitting in a upright position.

Brambleclaw stepped forward. "I was just speaking with Redheart out in the forest and he thinks that Leafpool should return to her post as medicine cat."

Firestar sighed and began to explain, "Leafpool has broken the warrior code by having kits, Redheart. It would be against the will of Starclan if we allowed her to return as a medicine cat. She also chose to step down from her post herself. "

"But Firestar! It would not be against the will of Starclan if that is what they wanted." Firestar's ears

pricked with interest and Redheart went on. "Leafpool has been our medicine cat for many seasons, had kits and then continued to be our medicine cat for seasons more and Starclan did nothing about it. Surely if they disapproved of Leafpool being our medicine cat any longer they would have said something or sent a sign."

"He does have a point there Firestar," Brambleclaw mewed.

"He does. Redheart, go fetch Jayfeather please."

Redheart turned and dashed out of the den his heart soaring with hope. As he dashed through the clearing towards the medicine den, the cats in the clearing turned to see what was so urgent. Redheart exploded into the medicine cat den. Jayfeather, Lionblaze and Dovepaw whirled around with their pelts bristling with alarm. Then they recognized Redheart.

"For Starclan sake Redheart! Must you dash around camp like there is a whole horde of badgers after you?" Lionblaze exclaimed.

Redheart ignored him. "Jayfeather! Firestar wants to see you in his den now! Its really important."

"Okay, okay. I'm coming; keep you fur on." Jayfeather muttered.

Redheart sat outside Firestar's den waiting for Jayfeather. Jayfeather appeared a heartbeat later padding across the clearing toward the rockfall that led up to Firestar's den. When he was up on the highledge Redheart called a greeting into the den.

"Come in."

Jayfeather and Redheart walked into the den dipping their heads respectfully to the ThunderClan leader.

"Welcome Jayfeather." Firestar dipped his head to the medicine cat.

"What can I do for you Firestar?" His sightless eyes were staring at the clan leader so intently Redheart could hardly believe he couldn't see.

"Redheart has brought in an interesting argument. He believes that Leafpool should return to her post as medicine cat and I wish to know what you think about this." Firestar explained.

"Your asking me to welcome my mother back into the world of a medicine cat?" Jayfeather challenged.

"Not your mother," Firestar corrected, "but a fellow clan mate. Yes, I know that Leafpool is your

mother Jayfeather." Firestar went on as Jayfeather opened his mouth to reply, "However, you must not think of Leafpool as your mother but just as a fellow clan mate. "

"But it would be impossible for Leafpool to-," Jayfeather started but Redheart cut him off.

"No it wouldn't Jayfeather!" Redheart argued. "Leafpool had been our medicine cat for many seasons before you were born. And even after you were born she continued to be our medicine cat. Starclan would have sent a sign if they didn't want Leafpool to be our medicine cat!"

"Well I don't think they would have sent a sign if they did want Leafpool to be our medicine cat after she had retired herself! " Jayfeather challenged Redheart.

Firestar stepped forward looking a bit troubled as if he didn't know what was right. Both cats had put

up a compelling argument which both made sense. "What about Starclan's opinion?"

Jayfeather turned toward Firestar his ears pricked. "What do you mean?"

"You could go the moonpool tonight and ask Starclan yourself. See what they say about it." Firestar inquired.

"And what if they say that it is your choice?"

"Then I will do what I think is best," Firestar answered.

"Then I will travel to moonpool tonight," Jayfeather told him.

"Thank you." Firestar dipped his head.

"I shall tell Brightheart that she will be in charge of medicine duties until I get back. I will need to leave now," Jayfeather mewed.

"Very well and may Starclan be with you," Firestar replied. When Jayfeather had left the den Firestar turned to Redheart. "You may go now and Redheart," Firestar added as the young warrior began to turn and leave. "Brambleclaw told me that you weren't on any patrols today and he wants you to lead the dusk patrol and take it to check the WindClan border."

"Of course Firestar. Did he say who I should take?" Redheart asked.

"Whoever you want," Firestar replied.

Redheart dipped his head to his leader and padded out of the den. Standing on the ledge, Redheart looked around the clearing wondering who to take. Looking at the sky overhead he saw that it was sunhigh. He glanced around the camp again and he saw Lionblaze and Dovepaw padding across the clearing.

"Hey Lionblaze!" Redheart called, bounding across the clearing toward them.

"Hi Redheart," Lionblaze replied.

"Do you and Dovepaw want to come with me on the dusk patrol? Brambleclaw wants me to check the Windclan border."

"Sure," Lionblaze nodded. "You should see if Cinderpelt and Ivypaw want to come too."

"Do you know where they are?" Redheart asked.

"Doing a training session in the mossy clearing," Lionblaze replied.

"Thanks Lionblaze." Redheart dashed off out of camp heading for the mossy clearing. He tore through

a thorn bush that scraped against his muzzle. He slowed his pace as he neared the mossy clearing. Padding through the bushes he entered the clearing and saw Cinderpelt and Ivypaw practicing some

battle moves.

"Hey Cinderpelt!" Redheart called to her.

They turned to see Redheart padding into the clearing.

"What can we do for you Redheart?" Cinderpelt asked.

"I'm leading dusk patrol with Lionblaze and Dovepaw, do you guys want to come?"

"Sure. It'll be good experience for Ivypaw." Cinderpelt smiled at her apprentice.

"Alright see you at dusk." Redheart mewed.

"Dusk." Cinderpelt agreed.

Redheart padded through the forest wondering what to do next. Suddenly his belly growled with hunger. "_It wouldn't hurt if I hunted for a little bit,_" Redheart thought. Scenting the air, Redheart caught the scent of mouse. Pricking his ears and looking around Redheart saw the mouse scrabbling among the roots of a tree. Dropping into a hunters crouch, Redheart began to glide slowly across the forest floor toward the mouse. Redheart took off with a flying leap and landed on the mouse giving it a swift bite to the neck, killing it. It did not take much longer until he found a shrew and a pigeon. Looking up at the sky he saw that the sun was starting to go down. _"It'll be time for the patrol soon."_ Gathering up the fresh kill Redheart started back toward camp.

When he reached the stone hollow he noticed that the rest of the patrol was in the hollow eating just before they went on patrol.

"Hey Redheart," Lionblaze called. "I thought you were going to miss the patrol."

"Not for anything!" Redheart called back. Dropping his catch onto the fresh kill pile, Redheart chose the mouse that he caught earlier and padded over the rest of the patrol.

"So what was so important that Jayfeather had to leave his den so quickly?" Lionblaze asked.

"I don't think I'm allowed to say but I think that Firestar will announce it when Jayfeather gets back tomorrow," Redheart told him in between gulps. When the patrol had finished eating they got to their paws and padded over to the thorn tunnel.

"Hey Lionblaze, Cinderpelt, did you guys get any dusk or moonhigh patrols?" Redheart asked curiously.

"Nope, and thank StarClan we didn't." Cinderpelt replied. "I would have been too tired for

training, especially if it was the moonhigh patrols."

"Hopefully Dovepaw and Ivypaw won't be to tired for training tomorrow," Lionblaze mewed.

The patrol was quiet the rest of the way to the WindClan border. When they reached the border Redheart raised his tail signaling for the patrol to stop. Redheart slightly opened his jaws and scented the air. There was a strong scent of WindClan on the wind.

"There's a patrol somewhere near here," Redheart warned.

"They're creeping along the bracken." Dovepaw informed them. "They know that we are here."

As she spoke a WindClan patrol raced toward the patrol crashing through the bracken. Tornear, Breezepelt, Heathertail, Whitetail, Hairpelt, and Hawkwing were in the WindClan patrol.

"ThunderClan attack!" Redheart yowled leaping at Hawkwing. Hawkwing was one of the most vicious warriors in WindClan and Redheart didn't want any of his warriors lives to fall into Hawkwing's paws. Hawkwing swiped Redheart in the muzzle with a hard, well aimed blow. Getting knocked off balance, Redheart saw Hawkwing leaping on top of him. Using the fighting move he made up himself Redheart went limp, making himself slippery as a snake and rolled over making sure his soft underbelly wasn't exposed, then thrusting himself upward with all his strength. He sent Hawkwing somersaulting into the heather. Redheart leaped at him again landing perfectly on Hawkwing's soft underbelly knocking the wind out of him. He saw the shock in Hawkwing's eyes as Redheart pummeled Hawkwing's belly with his thorn sharp hind claws.

Suddenly Breezepelt and Heathertail slammed into him pinning him to the ground while Hawkwing ran back across the border. Using the same move that he used on Hawkwing, Redheart sent Breezepelt sprawling across the grass. Heathertail leaped in front of him to protect her clan mate. Breezepelt was back on his paws and at Heathertail's side in an instant. Now Redheart was fending off two warriors. Breezepelt leaped high into the air and at the same time Heathertail leaped at him. Redheart scooted straight underneath Heathertail clawing her underbelly and then Redheart used his nose to unbalance her and then used his hind legs kicking her in the flank causing her to roll. Then the unbalanced Heathertail rolled right to where Breezepelt was about to land. Breezepelt then crashed down on top of Heathertail completely shocked and the two warriors haired back across the border. Looking around he saw that the rest of the patrol was driving the WindClan warriors back. When last of the WindClan warriors was gone the patrol stared at Redheart in shock and amazement.

"Who mentored Redheart?" Ivypaw asked, her eyes wide.

"No one did." Lionblaze answered. "He came to our camp before you and Dovepaw were born as a rouge and asked Firestar if he could join our clan. Firestar gave him his warrior name after a moon of staying with us. He fought off two dogs all by himself when they had threatened the camp and that's when he got his warrior name. He even asked Firestar to give him the name Redheart."

"Never mind my past now." Redheart mewed. "We need to remark the border and then report back to Firestar."

When the patrol had reported to Firestar they went to their nests, exhausted. Redheart dreamed that night. He saw Jayfeather and the warriors of StarClan.

"Should Leafpool return to being a medicine cat in ThunderClan?" Jayfeather was asking.

"It would be a wise choice. She isn't a warrior, at heart she has always been a medicine cat," came a reply.

"Is this what I should tell Firestar?" Jayfeather asked.

The strange voice came again. " Tell him-" A voice cut into his dream.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the high ledge for a clan meeting," Firestar's words sounded through the air.

Opening his eyes Redheart saw weak sunlight flowing through the brambles. Getting to his paws Redheart saw that most of the other warriors were already out in the clearing. Padding out of the warriors den, Redheart saw that Jayfeather was sitting beneath the highledge.

"Warriors of ThunderClan I call you together for a special ceremony that no one, not even the one who

will be in the ceremony will be expecting it," Firestar called. "I, Firestar, leader of ThunderClan call

upon our warrior ancestors to look down on the cat before you. Jayfeather wishes to call back his mentor and to learn from Leafpool once again!"

Shocked mummers filled the clearing but no one dared interrupt the ceremony.

"Jayfeather has talked to our ancestors at the moonpool and they agree with me that Leafpool should return to the post of a medicine cat!" Padding down the rockfall, Firestar called Leafpool forward. "Leafpool step forward please." Leafpool stepped forward sitting next to Jayfeather her eyes filled with shock. "Because Jayfeather is already a full medicine cat there is no longer any need to train him. You will become his mentor once again and you will fill the first spot of the medicine cat of the ThunderClan! Leafpool we thank you and we welcome you to StarClan and ThunderClan as a full medicine cat!"


End file.
